Bayfront Master Plan

The beautiful bayfront at Chula Vista is getting revitalized!  The Chula Vista Bayfront master plan consists of protecting coastal resources, providing visitor serving amenities, and revitalizing the bayfront for the region, the community, residents, coastal visitors, and the environment.  The plan will consist of four stages over a 24 year period.



The Chula Vista Bayfront Master Plan will provide for a thriving waterfront destination that has been carefully designed and planned by a broad coalition of stakeholders to protect coastal resources, provide visitor serving amenities, and revitalize the bayfront for the region, the community, residents, coastal visitors, and the environment. It is the result of a decade-long joint planning effort by the Port of San Diego, the City of Chula Vista and Pacifica Companies.
The Chula Vista bayfront is just 15 minutes from San Diego International Airport and only 14 minutes from the United States-Mexico border. The project spans the area west of Interstate 5 in Chula Vista, from E Street to Palomar Street.

At A Glance

• Collaboratively planned through more than 100 community meetings
• Protects sensitive wildlife habitat, species, and other coastal resources
• Permanent protection of habitat and open space from a land exchange between Pacifica Companies and San Diego Unified Port District-providing a net gain of 62 acres of public land
• Provides 230 acres of public parks and open space, and habitat preservation
• Public promenades, bike trails, and other public access areas connecting the entire bayfront
• Bayfront Resort and conference center
• Mixed-use commercial recreation, office, and residential
• Waterfront visitor‐serving retail uses and public gathering spaces
• Reconfigured marina and improved commercial harbor and navigation channel
• Projected to revitalize the waterfront and generate $1.3 billion for the region over 20 years
• Creates more than 2,200 permanent jobs, nearly 7,000 construction jobs and numerous indirect jobs in the regional economy

Public Benefit
When completed, more than 40 percent of the project area (230 acres) will be dedicated to parks, open space and habitat restoration/preservation; with 130 acres identified for parks and open space that provide public access and use. The visitor-serving amenities and mix-uses will be clustered in the Harbor District to reduce impact on environmentally sensitive areas.
Economic Benefits
The Chula Vista Bayfront Master Plan is expected to be economically sustainable. The plan is designed to create local and regional jobs and produce new public revenues for the region. The project is projected to generate $1.3 billion during its first 20 years, including more than $11.5 million in annual tax revenues. Implementation of the plan will create more than 2,200 permanent jobs, nearly 7,000 construction jobs and numerous indirect jobs in the regional economy.
From Planning to Implementation
Planning efforts began in 2002 and were guided by the Chula Vista Bayfront Master Plan Citizens Advisory Committee. The resulting draft land use plans were shaped through an extensive public participation program, including a comprehensive environmental study, which was certified in 2010. After clearing several regulatory hurdles and reviews by various agencies, the plan is scheduled to go before the California Coastal Commission in 2012.
If approved by the California Coastal Commission, the master plan will be implemented jointly by the Port of San Diego and the City of Chula Vista in four major phases over a 24-year period. Phase one of implementation includes the development of the resort conference center, the creation of 50 acres of public parks and open space, the restoration of 40 acres of habitat areas, and the construction of a new fire station and mixed-use residential development.
Collaborative Process
The following governing bodies unanimously approved the Chula Vista Bayfront Master Plan:

• San Diego Unified Port District Board of Port Commissioners
• City of Chula Vista City Council
• City of Chula Vista Planning Commission
• City of Chula Vista Redevelopment Agency
• California State Lands Commission (approved land exchange with Pacifica Companies)                                                                                Read more on the city of Chula Vista's website.